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5 Free Cloud Storage Solutions

There is nothing worse than hearing that clicking sound of a hard drive gone bad, especially if it's still under warranty and the manufacturer can't or won't restore your data in the event of a disk failure.  If you're looking to protect your files quickly and without breaking the bank, here's a list of 5 free backup solutions that could save the day.

1. Dropbox: This is one I personally use for documents or quick items I need to share with people.  This online cloud solution allows for offline storage on your computers and devices, so you can have a common folder between your computer and devices like a iPhone or iPad.  You automatically get 2GBs free and have the option to upgrade for additional space.  Also, if you refer a friend and they sign up, you get additional space for free, up to 8GB. The one big feature I like over Google is that you can share folders with anybody, regardless of whether they have a Dropbox account or not. Also, any folder that is shared from another Dropbox account shows up in your dropbox both online and offline.  The biggest downside to Dropbox is that have had several security issues in the past, so while this service is both free and handy, it isn't necessarily recommended for sensitive files and data.
2. Google: Google has several options wrapped up into their Google Apps package, which has both a free version and a paid version.  For photos, their Picasa Web package is great as you can upload pictures from your computer and setup your albums online, which you can share with people. There is also a downloadable program as well which you can use to edit and arrange your photos. Currently you get 1GB of storage for free (photos under 800x800 don't count towards that limit), with the option to upgrade for additional space. Google+ users get unlimited storage for photos and videos, which are automatically resized to 2048 pixels. For documents, their Google Docs package allows you to not only store documents but create documents as well. Like Picasa you have a 1GB limit, but documents created in or converted to Google Docs don't count towards that limit.  Gmail account is required to signup.  The largest issue I have experienced with any of the Google suite of products has centered aroud permissions - sometimes sharing a document with a non-Google user can be a hassle.
3. Skydrive: Microsoft has released its Skydrive product which requires a MSN, Hotmail or Live account. The biggest benefit to Skydrive is that it comes with 25GB of storage! Individual file sizes can't exceed 100MB, but can include photos, documents, and videos.  If you are an Office 2010 user you can integrate your Skydrive with Office and save documents directly to the cloud. Although I have personally tested the product and its features, I'm not currently using it, nor have I heard any direct feedback about it. So if you're reading this, and you use Skydrive, please let me know your thoughts about it.
4. Amazon Cloud Drive: Amazon Cloud Drive is something new that was just recently released. They are offering 5GB for free, which can be upgraded for as little as $20 for 20GB. The main reason I mention this service is because it offers unlimited music storage for eligible music. Eligible music recordings must be in MP3 (.mp3) or AAC (.m4a, iTunes non-DRM files) and less than 100MB.  As of this writing, I am signing up for an account now to test it. The $20 for 20GB is a limited-time offer. I am not sure how the recent Amazon outages have or will affect this service.
5. iCloud: Apple's iCloud isn't out yet but there is plenty of information about it available on the web and Apple's site. This is the successor to the horrible MobileMe service that was introduced a few years back. It offers 5GBs of free storage for emails, pictures, and books for all users running iOS5 and Lion (OS 10.7). This will all be done over the air, and will eliminate the need to sync with your computers.  

These solutions are for personal storage needs, and can make your life easy when it comes to sharing photos or videos with family and friends.